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The Columbus laboratory module, developed by Astrium Bremen as prime contractor and Alenia Spazio as co-prime, is the European contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) program and as such it will support, once in orbit, micro-gravity and space based research activities of the member states. Columbus Environmental Control System (ECS) employs an Environmental Control and Life Support System (ECLSS) providing atmosphere pressure, cabin ventilation and temperature humidity control inside the module in conjunction with an autonomous Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) that provides the heat collection capability. The ATCS, based on software controlled water loop, provides also the cooling capability for Payloads and Subsystem equipment. The ECS is completed with the Passive Thermal Control System based on software controlled shell heating system plus passive fixtures such as Multi-Layers Insulation (MLI) blankets.

The Columbus Orbital Facility is being developed as the European laboratory contribution to the United States' led International Space Station programme. The need to exchange thermal mathematical models frequently amongst the Space Station partners for thermal analyses in support of their individual programme milestone, integration and verification activities requires the development of a commonly agreed and effective approach to identify and validate mathematical models and environments. The approach needs to take into account the fact that the partners have different model and software tool requirements and the fact that the models need to be properly tailored to include all the relevant design features. It must also decouple both programmes from the unavoidable design changes they are still undergoing. This problem presents itself for both active and passive thermal interfaces.

The Columbus Orbital Facility (COF) is being developed as the European Laboratory contribution to the International Space Station (ISS) program. The COF Active Thermal Control System (ATCS) is based on a single phase water loop for the collection of waste heat from payloads and subsystems and the rejection to the ISS Heat Exchangers (HXs). During 1993 the budget constraints and the shifting to November 2002 of the European Laboratory launch led to an incremental qualification approach for the COF ATCS water loop: to qualify the ATCS water loop by analysis using mathematical models correlated throughout a series of testing. The water loop testing has been developed through different incremental steps whose results were correlated by means of ESATAN-FHTS models. The water loop setup testing was upgraded, step by step, by using commercial and flight representative items on the basis of the equipment development status.